A woman in Australia has been slapped with a six-month prison sentence after breaking the country's strict coronavirus quarantine rules. Asher Faye Vander Sanden, 28, pleaded guilty in a court in the Australian city of Perth to breaking the region's emergency coronavirus laws by sneaking into the state in a truck. Vander Sanden was arrested at her partner's home in Perth suburb Scarborough on Aug. 11 after traveling by road from the state of Victoria — a journey of around 3,200 km. She had been given permission to fly to Perth and quarantine in a hotel for 14 days before meeting her boyfriend. In Western Australia, people found to have broken quarantine laws face a maximum penalty of 12 months' imprisonment or a $50,000 fine. Vander Sanden's lawyer, John Hammond, said she had traveled to Victoria to take care of her unwell sister, but returned because she couldn't cope, according to a BBC report. She self-quarantined at her partner's home and did not have contact with anyone else, the lawyer said. But senior constable McDowall called Vander Sanden "deceitful and dishonest" and called for jail time. Magistrate Andrew Matthews said she had committed "a very serious offense" that could have resulted in an outbreak of the virus, and sentenced her to six months behind bars. States have implemented tough restrictions on crossing state boundaries after the virus had a resurgence. — Agencies
